Canon 5D Mark IV vs Leica T

The Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and the Leica T (Typ 701) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively,
in August 2016 and April 2014. The 5D Mark IV is a DSLR, while the T Typ 701 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a full frame (5D Mark IV) and an APS-C (T Typ 701) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 30.1 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 16.2 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and the
Leica T (Typ 701)? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors,
their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Canon 5D Mark IV vs Leica T

The physical size and weight of the Canon 5D Mark IV and the Leica T are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The T Typ 701 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the 5D Mark IV is
only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Leica T is considerably smaller (47 percent) than the Canon 5D Mark IV. Moreover, the T Typ 701 is substantially lighter (57 percent) than the 5D Mark IV. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 5D Mark IV is splash and dust resistant,
while the T Typ 701 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses
that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses
in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The power pack in the T Typ 701 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, just select a new right or left
comparator from among the camera models in the table. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and
choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The T Typ 701 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 47 percent) than the 5D Mark IV, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison: Canon 5D Mark IV vs Leica T

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 5D Mark IV features a full frame sensor and the Leica T
an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the T Typ 701 is 57 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 30.1MP, the 5D Mark IV offers a higher
resolution than the T Typ 701 (16.2MP), but the 5D Mark IV nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of
5.36μm versus 4.79μm for the T Typ 701) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the 5D Mark IV is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 4 months) than the T Typ 701, and its sensor
will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the T Typ 701 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The 5D Mark IV has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark IV has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 32000, which can be extended to ISO 50-102400.
The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica T (Typ 701) are ISO 100 to ISO 12500 (no boost).

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under review, the 5D Mark IV provides substantially higher image quality than the T Typ 701, with an overall score that is 16 points higher. This advantage is based on 1.8 bits higher color depth, 0.9 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.5 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

Camera Model

Sensor Class

Resolution (MP)

Horiz. Pixels

Vert. Pixels

Video Format

DXO Portrait

DXO Landscape

DXO Sports

DXO Overall

Camera Model

Canon 5D Mark IV»

Full Frame

30.1

6720

4480

4K/30p

24.8

13.6

2995

91

Canon 5D Mark IV

Leica T«

APS-C

16.2

4944

3278

1080/30p

23.0

12.7

1082

75

Leica T

Canon 6D Mark II«»

Full Frame

26.0

6240

4160

1080/60p

24.4

11.9

2862

85

Canon 6D Mark II

Canon 1D X Mark II«»

Full Frame

20.0

5472

3648

4K/60p

24.1

13.5

3207

88

Canon 1D X Mark II

Canon 5DS«»

Full Frame

50.3

8688

5792

1080/30p

24.7

12.4

2381

87

Canon 5DS

Canon 5DS R«»

Full Frame

50.3

8688

5792

1080/30p

24.6

12.4

2308

86

Canon 5DS R

Canon SL1«»

APS-C

17.9

5184

3456

1080/30p

21.8

11.3

843

63

Canon SL1

Canon 5D Mark III«»

Full Frame

22.1

5760

3840

1080/30p

24.0

11.7

2293

81

Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 5D Mark II«»

Full Frame

21.0

5616

3744

1080/30p

23.7

11.9

1815

79

Canon 5D Mark II

Canon 5D«»

Full Frame

12.7

4368

2912

-

22.9

11.1

1368

71

Canon 5D

Fujifilm X-T10«»

APS-C

16.0

4896

3264

1080/60p

-

-

-

-

Fujifilm X-T10

Leica TL2«»

APS-C

24.1

6014

4014

4K/30p

-

-

-

-

Leica TL2

Leica TL«»

APS-C

16.1

4928

3264

1080/30p

-

-

-

-

Leica TL

Nikon D850«»

Full Frame

45.4

8256

5504

4K/30p

26.4

14.8

2660

100

Nikon D850

Nikon D800«»

Full Frame

36.2

7360

4912

1080/30p

25.3

14.4

2853

95

Nikon D800

Nikon D800E«»

Full Frame

36.2

7360

4912

1080/30p

25.6

14.3

2979

96

Nikon D800E

Sony A6000«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/60p

24.1

13.1

1347

82

Sony A6000

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the 5D Mark IV provides a higher video resolution than the T Typ 701. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Leica is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison: Canon 5D Mark IV vs Leica T

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the 5D Mark IV has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight.
In contrast, the T Typ 701 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the T Typ 701 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the Visoflex (Typ 020). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 5D Mark IV and Leica T along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

Camera Model

Viewfinder (Type or '000 dots)

Control Panel (yes/no)

LCD Size (inch)

LCD Resolution ('000 dots)

LCD Attach- ment

Touch Screen (yes/no)

Mech Shutter Speed

Shutter Flaps (1/sec)

Built-in Flash (yes/no)

Built-in Image Stab

Camera Model

Canon 5D Mark IV»

optical

Y

3.2

1620

fixed

Y

1/8000s

7.0

n

n

Canon 5D Mark IV

Leica T«

-

n

3.7

1300

fixed

Y

1/4000s

5.0

Y

n

Leica T

Canon 6D Mark II«»

optical

Y

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

6.5

n

n

Canon 6D Mark II

Canon 1D X Mark II«»

optical

Y

3.2

1620

fixed

Y

1/8000s

16.0

n

n

Canon 1D X Mark II

Canon 5DS«»

optical

Y

3.2

1040

fixed

n

1/8000s

5.0

n

n

Canon 5DS

Canon 5DS R«»

optical

Y

3.2

1040

fixed

n

1/8000s

5.0

n

n

Canon 5DS R

Canon SL1«»

optical

n

3.0

1040

fixed

Y

1/4000s

4.9

Y

n

Canon SL1

Canon 5D Mark III«»

optical

Y

3.2

1040

fixed

n

1/8000s

6.0

n

n

Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 5D Mark II«»

optical

Y

3.0

920

fixed

n

1/8000s

3.9

n

n

Canon 5D Mark II

Canon 5D«»

optical

Y

2.5

230

fixed

n

1/8000s

3.0

n

n

Canon 5D

Fujifilm X-T10«»

2360

n

3.0

920

tilting

n

1/4000s

8.0

Y

n

Fujifilm X-T10

Leica TL2«»

-

n

3.7

1230

fixed

Y

1/4000s

7.0

n

n

Leica TL2

Leica TL«»

-

n

3.7

1230

fixed

Y

1/4000s

5.0

Y

n

Leica TL

Nikon D850«»

optical

Y

3.2

2359

tilting

Y

1/8000s

9.0

n

n

Nikon D850

Nikon D800«»

optical

Y

3.2

921

fixed

n

1/8000s

4.0

Y

n

Nikon D800

Nikon D800E«»

optical

Y

3.2

921

fixed

n

1/8000s

4.0

Y

n

Nikon D800E

Sony A6000«»

1440

n

3.0

922

tilting

n

1/4000s

11.0

Y

n

Sony A6000

One feature that is present on the 5D Mark IV, but is missing on the T Typ 701 is a top-level LCD.
While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The Canon 5D Mark IV has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to
capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The 5D Mark IV writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDXC cards, while the T Typ 701 uses SDXC cards. The 5D Mark IV features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the T Typ 701
only has one slot. The 5D Mark IV supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the T Typ 701 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison: Canon 5D Mark IV vs Leica T

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and Leica T (Typ 701) and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

Camera Model

Hotshoe Port

Internal Microphone

Internal Speaker

Microphone Port

Headphone Port

HDMI Port

USB Type

WiFi Support

NFC Support

Bluetooth Support

Camera Model

Canon 5D Mark IV»

Y

mono

mono

Y

Y

mini

3.0

Y

Y

-

Canon 5D Mark IV

Leica T«

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

-

2.0

Y

-

-

Leica T

Canon 6D Mark II«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

Y

Canon 6D Mark II

Canon 1D X Mark II«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

Y

mini

3.0

-

-

-

Canon 1D X Mark II

Canon 5DS«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

-

mini

3.0

-

-

-

Canon 5DS

Canon 5DS R«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

-

mini

3.0

-

-

-

Canon 5DS R

Canon SL1«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon SL1

Canon 5D Mark III«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

Y

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 5D Mark II«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 5D Mark II

Canon 5D«»

Y

-

-

-

-

-

2.0

-

-

-

Canon 5D

Fujifilm X-T10«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Fujifilm X-T10

Leica TL2«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

3.0

Y

-

-

Leica TL2

Leica TL«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Leica TL

Nikon D850«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

mini

3.0

Y

Y

Y

Nikon D850

Nikon D800«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

Y

mini

3.0

-

-

-

Nikon D800

Nikon D800E«»

Y

mono

mono

Y

Y

mini

3.0

-

-

-

Nikon D800E

Sony A6000«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony A6000

It is notable that the 5D Mark IV has a microphone port, which is missing on the T Typ 701.
Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 5D Mark IV (unlike the T Typ 701) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights
can be controlled by the camera.

The 5D Mark IV is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon.
In contrast, the T Typ 701 has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the T Typ 701 was succeeded by the Leica TL. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official
Canon and Leica websites.

Review summary: Canon 5D Mark IV vs Leica T

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 5D Mark IV and the Leica T? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Leica T (Typ 701):

More compact: Is smaller (134x69mm vs 151x116mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.

Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 506g or 57 percent) and is thus easier to take along.

Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.

More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.

Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.

More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.

More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (47 percent cheaper at launch).

More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in April 2014).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 5D Mark IV is the clear winner of the match-up (24 : 9 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges
from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera
is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 5D Mark IV or the T Typ 701 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews: Canon 5D Mark IV vs Leica T

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge,
reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.